FRANKENFISH

Cogito, ergo sum. Rene Descartes' philosophy theory states a human exists because of said subject’s ability to think. This process is the only way to prove existence. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, a man wants to create existence within a monster. A human is stitched together by this intrigued student, to be a perfect example of humankind. The monster faces a difficult life due to these modifications and the gift of existence. The monster created by Victor Frankenstein is a distinct example of literary distortion, which allows the reader to assume the author, Mary Shelley, is trying to make a case against the topic of genetically manipulated animals. This distinct use of distortion as a metaphor is a more effective way for Shelley to portray her connotation to the audience.

To understand the creator and the creation of Frankenstein, and to relate it to modern genetically-modified animal corporations, it is necessary to prove the monster was created by Victor Frankenstein with the initial intent to be a better version of humanity. Victor mentions he wants to create a creature that will owe its being to him; this creature will be excellent. With this in mind, he begins to spend long hours after class constructing the monster. He starts hopeful and hard-working, dreaming of the knowledge that he will possess once he has finished his creation. Shelley uses literary distortion here unapologetically. She paints Victor to represent corporations and their want to create life that is better than what is already alive. These groups play God the same way Victor did, and both have experienced dire consequences. 

Mary Shelley uses distortion to gently frame and persuade the audience what to think. By doing so, the meaning of the work is shown: nature is meant to be natural, and because of this, all life is important. This main theme lurks in the shadows of her quips and letters strewn throughout Frankenstein. By creating a monster to own and showcase as his intelligence capability, Victor believes he owns this ‘world’. This thrusts a large divide between this monster and the townspeople. Thus, the monster is scared and angry of being abandoned and brought to life. It wants a mate, and someone to share its life with since it has been created to be unrecognizable to humans. The monster goes on to wreak havoc, accidentally at first by killing a young boy, and then with vengeance by killing Victor’s close peer. Victor Frankenstein’s monster becomes uncontrollable. Shelley wants her audience to feel sadness for this monster. She wants them to revel in its misfortune- A poor being brought into existence to only be used. By feeling empathy for the monster’s circumstances, and beginning to despise Victor Frankenstein for orchestrating a tortuous situation, this manipulation of literary distortion comes into full focus. 

Literary distortion is the most effective way for an author to get their point across. Rene Descartes believed heavily in this, and steered away from straight-forward realism. His philosophy of Cogito, ergo sum crutches heavily on the romanticism of his time. By ushering people’s empathetic brains to take the lead of their body, Shelley, Descartes and O’Connor were onto something. People listen better to stories, to poems, to art than research essays. This is still applicable in the modern world, and can be utilized to better portray one’s individual prose. People who feel from a piece of literature are more likely to remember it, and Frankenstein is a delightful example that has stayed vivid over 100 years. No essays about playing God, or the construction of genetically modified animals would have reached such an audience. Storytelling, and thus literary distortion, is one of the most innate, human abilities. 

Mary Shelley uses literary distortion, a concept more beneficial than literary realism, to quietly entrance the audience into understanding her story’s point of view. The audience is then subjected to feel the same way when they learn of an event occurring in their own lives. The event has grown since the first genetically modified animal was created in 1974. Now, a corporation called AquaAdvantage based out of Massachusetts is taking things to a dangerous level. The fishery industry is a powerhouse, or powerboat, if you will. The sheer amount of money it takes to raise farmed salmon is extensive, but the benefits in royalties makes up for it. The problem is clear, though. By creating a GM salmon with spliced genes from the Pacific Chinook and another eel-like species, AquaAdvantage has created a salmon that can grow monstrously large and quickly. While it has not been created from dead parts, the literary distortion remains recognizable: By tweaking life forms, new animal shapes can be created through biochemistry, and not electricity like in Shelley’s gothic novel. This results in a problem. Both in Frankenstein and our current society, creating a new life form reaped consequences not expected. Victor Frankenstein is cast out by society for alleged murder of his friend, which was actually by the monster he killed. Victor then dies on a ship in icy waters, alone and forgotten. This literary distortion perfectly aligns with today’s surprising effects. Because of how quickly these AquaAdvantage GM salmon grow, they need to eat more than wild salmon. A lot more. As overfishing has caused slim resources, collapsing economies, and tribal treaties infringed upon, Shelley’s book only warns it will get worse. Killing wild cod, salmon and tuna to feed aquatic GM cattle is eye-opening.

Victor Frankenstein’s fatal problem was not only messing with nature’s natural order, but also then abandoning his life form because he believed it to be grotesque. Philosopher Descartes was onto something: if something has the ability to think, then it must be alive. And because of this, these beings should be respected. Mary Shelley’s depiction of a monster was engrossed in thought, therefore it was. Farmed salmon think, therefore they are. But, they are kept in crowded tanks and many will suffer cataracts from the change of water habitats for their farm lifestyle. They are blinded, swimming helplessly, and destroying a wild keystone species' chance at life. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a memorable piece of literature, because of its distinct manipulation of literary distortion which allows it to warn of impending future genetic modification. It also makes a case for detaching from regular societal norms, and invoking more empathy for the life surrounding you. When it comes down to it, who is the real monster?